“If anything ‘happened’ to any of my men, the end result would be the same,” he said grimly. “Make no mistake about that. None of my people are expendable.”

    But she didn’t care about the rest of them! Not only was that not likely to please him, however, it also wasn’t likely to move him. Struggling to take an even breath, she gave up the effort to dissuade him and approached him. When he stepped back to allow her into the corridor, she discovered her fellow crewmembers assembled a little further along the corridor and two Sumpturians. When she and Anka reached them she noticed the corridor behind the group abruptly change. She stared at it, trying to figure out what it was. It almost looked like water. It rippled. As it dawned on her that it must be some sort of field, she glanced behind her and discovered a similar phenomena had sealed off the other end of the corridor. To her right, a door appeared in the wall. As she watched, the ramp she’d used to enter the ship extended and lowered.

    Anka lifted her and followed Drs. Kushbu and Rain down the plank. Behind them, the two men she’d seen guided a capsule on wheels where Major Powell lay. A transport, she discovered, awaited them at the foot of the gangplank. A man approached them trailed by two armed squads of men. Sybil recognized the features of the base commander behind the face shield.

    He stopped while he was still several yards from where they stood. Anka hesitated and then approached the man. “Lieutenant Hunter’s ankle is injured. I will take her inside.”

    “That won’t be necessary,” Commander Kendal responded coldly, signaling to one of the men behind him. “Pvt. Yancy! Assist Lieutenant Hunter into the transport.”

    Yancy saluted, shouldered his weapon and approached.

    “I can walk,” Sybil said stiffly.

    “She can’t,” Anka instantly contradicted her, tightening his hold on her.

    “I can carry you, ma’am, if you’ll permit?”

    Resisting the urge to glance at Anka one last time, Sybil nodded. “Thank you, Pvt. Yancy.” Removing her arm from Anka’s shoulders, she reached for the other man. For a moment longer, Anka held her and then he released her.

    She couldn’t resist glancing back, however, when Yancy entered the airlock with her. Commander Kendal seemed to be speaking with Anka, but Anka was staring straight at her.

Chapter Eight

    The debriefing was every bit the nightmare Sybil had anticipated. It became clear after only a few minutes that they were suspected of something. Unfortunately, she’d been right about being separated. None of them were given the chance to compare notes before they were whisked from the landing site and into decontamination. The science department was so eager to get their hands on the gear the Sumpturians had provided for them that they practically ripped them off. By the time she got out of decontamination, the suit Anka had helped her put on had vanished.

    She wasn’t anywhere near her peak performance level when she was summoned for debriefing. She was so depressed it took all she could do even to concentrate part of her mind on the questions. Seeing no alternative, she stuck to the truth and merely omitted mention of the most incriminating parts.

    Spencer, as she’d suspected, sang like a bird. The bastard! The next meeting she was called to was far more unpleasant and excruciatingly embarrassing.

    She was informed that she had been removed from the Mars project until further notice.

    She was going to get canned! She knew it and she didn’t even care… much! It was disgusting, though, that she’d had plans that were never going to come to fruition now.

    She’d thought that she would retire from service and become a colonist. Her tour would’ve been up about the time she reached Mars, and it was the perfect way to get there-free of charge. She would’ve actually been paid as a part of the crew. Now it seemed far more likely that she was going to get shipped back to Earth and discharged-probably dishonorably which was going to make it hellish to find a damned job!

    Not that there were a lot of jobs to be had back on Earth. The economy was shit. It had been slowly crumbling for years and the frequent disasters were no help in recovery. They would’ve at least been a boon to the construction industry if the economy hadn’t been so bad before, but since there were few people who could afford to rebuild

    She wasn’t sure it was any consolation that they couldn’t charge her with anything that was actually criminal and send her to jail. At least she’d have a roof over her head and meals.

    She didn’t particularly envy Spencer, however, who’d already been transferred back to Earth to face a court martial for assault of an officer with intent to kill.

    Her personal worries weren’t the only thing she had to agonize about, however. For weeks after the ‘incident’ on Venus, there were rumors of war. She wasn’t informed of anything since she was out of the loop, but it was impossible to keep everyone silent and the gossip was as endless as the speculation. It never actually died down. It was replaced by newer fodder several weeks after her return, however.

    The Sumpturians were seeking a treaty with the United Nations of Earth.

    Sybil actually believed it when she first heard it, but it didn’t take her long to figure out the ‘spin’. The powers that be had decided that making war on a race that was clearly more technologically advanced wasn’t a good idea even if they were furious that the bastards had claimed Venus. They couldn’t afford it either economically or otherwise. They’d decided to offer a treaty to the Sumpturians and they had graciously agreed.

    Sybil was cautiously relieved. She’d hoped against hope that their government wasn’t stupid enough to start a war they couldn’t win and make things that much worse for the people of Earth, who were already suffering. She didn’t believe it would be anything but a tentative, and very uneasy, peace at best, but it was a start… she hoped.

    Four weeks after her return she was summoned to what she expected to be her final meeting. A decision had been made as to whether she would still be welcome as an officer or if she was to be shipped home and discharged. She was sick with apprehension when she presented herself… and surprised and not very pleased when she discovered she would be facing a panel.

    When she’d been invited to take a seat, she settled shakily and waited for the ax to fall.

    Commander Kendal studied her as if collecting his thoughts. “I’m guessing you’ve heard the rumors that a delegation of Sumpturian leaders will be arriving shortly to begin peace talks?”

    Sybil gaped at the man, completely thrown for a loop at the direction of the conversation. “Yes, Sir,” she stammered finally.

    “As it happens, it isn’t purely rumor. Delegates from the United Nations will also be arriving at moon base shortly. The Sumpturians specifically requested the meeting be held here as neutral ground.”

    She could tell he was just tickled pink about that! “I hadn’t heard that.”

    “Naturally, security is tight,” he said dismissively.

    The man beside him spoke up when the commander fell silent. “I’m sure you’re wondering what this meeting is about. I don’t see any point in beating around the bush. We’ll need people to liaison with the alie… uh… the Sumpturians. Given your previous… ah… contact with them we feel that you would be an ideal candidate. That is unless you have objections to dealing with them.”

    Sybil stared at the stranger, struggling to get her pulse under control. She didn’t have a clue of he was. She’d thought when she’d first come in that the panel was strictly military, but then she’d been too unnerved to really look at them. She saw now, though, that he was wearing a suit-the type of suit that had politician written all over it. She moistened her dry lips. “I don’t have any objections, Sir. I’m just not certain how I could be of any help. I didn’t learn their language, not even a little.”